1. Field of the Invention
The subject invention relates generally to storage cabinets having a plurality of drawers or bins, and in particular to mobile small parts storage cabinets having bins that are individually accessible for selective extraction of desired parts.
2. The Prior Art
Small part storage cabinets for workshop or home use are well-known consumer items. Typically, such cabinets comprise a plurality of plastic bins that are housed within cabinet housing compartments, each bin serving as a drawer. The multiple bins are filled with select sizes or types of small parts that can be individually accessed by selecting the appropriate bin and opening the bin by sliding it forward.
Conventional bins also facilitate the transportation of the storage cabinet from one location to another by providing a handle at the top by which the cabinet may be lifted and moved. The cabinet and the bins are formed by conventional means of plastic material and are thus relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
While the available compartmented storage cabinets work well and have been commercially successful, certain shortcomings prevent them from satisfying all of the needs of consumers. First, available bin drawers are prone to escape the confines of the cabinet compartment as they are pulled outward, resulting in spillage. In addition, the bins do not provide a positive lock for retaining the drawer bins inside the cabinet during transport, and the bins can inadvertently open and spill in transit. Lastly, the bins lack a mechanical assist during the opening procedure. Consequently, a user must pull a fully loaded drawer outward without assistance from the cabinet.